Precautions for the Use of Common Marine Lashing Equipment

Container marine lashing equipment is mainly divided into two major categories: fixed marine lashing equipment and portable marine lashing equipment. In practical work, fixed marine lashing equipment can generally be used normally as long as its working condition is good and there are no missing parts. This requires us to maintain regular inspections in our daily work. However, portable marine lashing equipment is different due to the many human factors involved in its operation, making it a key focus of lashing inspections. Today, let's talk about common issues with frequently used portable marine lashing equipment and the potential consequences these issues may cause.

Marine Lashing Equipment: Turnbuckle

Twist locks are important devices that securely connect containers to the deck and container to container. During port loading and unloading operations, it is common to see instances where twist locks are missed, improperly placed, or not timely inspected and maintained, resulting in their inability to lock. Large container decks can stack containers over six layers high, placing tremendous weight on the four bottom twist locks. If the ship encounters wind and waves or makes sharp turns, it may cause the containers to topple. Excessive toppled containers can lightly damage cargo and hatch covers, causing cargo damage and impacting localized hatch cover strength, or severely affect the ship's stability, causing it to list and sink.

Correct Action: During loading and unloading, ensure on-site supervision is in place. If any instances of missed or incorrectly installed twist locks are found, promptly notify the port to remove the problematic container and reinstall the twist lock, ensuring the ship's safety.

Marine Lashing Equipment: Lashing Rod and Turnbuckle

These two lashing tools work together with the lashing pad and eye plate, acting as good partners to twist locks, providing a strong fixation role for containers above the deck. In practical operations, it is common to find incorrectly or insufficiently lashed rods. If a bay is missing some lashing rods, workers may be unwilling to fetch more from other places, resulting in insufficient lashing. Edge containers require long rods, but due to their weight, some workers may skip using them. Also, the narrow passageways between containers make it difficult to connect turnbuckles and eye plates smoothly, leading workers to improperly connect turnbuckles with railings, which does not provide the necessary fixation. Additionally, small vessels may use substitutes such as lashing straps instead of rods, which do not meet the required lashing strength.

Correct Action: After lashing is completed, conduct timely inspections and cross-check with the ship's lashing manual. Correct any mistakes or omissions promptly and do not make arbitrary changes. Before bad weather arrives, recheck and tighten the turnbuckles if necessary. Additional reinforcement with lashing straps, steel wires, or chains can be used to ensure the stability of the stacked containers.

Marine Lashing Equipment: Stack Cones

These are more commonly used inside the hold and serve the basic functions of securing containers and height compensation. As the hold has guide rails for loading, vessels generally do not pay enough attention to stacking cones. However, a small oversight with stack cones can have serious consequences. Heavier containers are usually placed inside the hold. If stack cones are not properly positioned, the weight of the container could puncture the bottom of the container in milder scenarios or fail to secure the hatch cover when the upper layer is loaded. In severe cases, it could puncture the bottom deck. If it punctures pipes or tanks, larger vessels might experience massive cargo damage, while smaller vessels could list and sink due to the impact on the free surface. Dangerous goods in the hold could also react with water or oil, leading to fires or explosions, endangering lives and environmental safety.

Correct Action: Maintain adequate stack cones in the hold and store them properly without discarding them. Conduct timely inspections during loading and unloading processes to minimize potential hazards and prevent issues.

Marine Lashing Equipment: Other Considerations

When purchasing container marine lashing equipment, ensure it matches the system requirements. In addition to paying attention to the specifications of the equipment, also consider the safety load requirements. Additionally, when purchasing twist locks, pay special attention to the rotation direction of the handle. The rotation direction of newly purchased twist lock handles must be consistent with those originally on the ship to avoid confusion and the inability to determine if they are locked.

Although containers are lashed according to requirements after being loaded onto the ship, severe pitching in high winds and waves can place excessive forces on containers, causing their marine lashing equipment to be damaged, leading to containers being thrown into the sea or container damage. Therefore, the ship should take measures such as changing course and speed to reduce pitching.

It is also important to frequently inspect marine lashing equipment. If deformation or damage is found during inspections, repair or replace it promptly. For movable marine lashing equipment like turnbuckles, regularly lubricate them to maintain operational flexibility. Crew should be familiar with the characteristics and usage methods of various marine lashing equipment, use them correctly, and check if the locking positions are locked or unlocked. Positioning cones used to fix small containers on top of large ones in the hold should not be used between containers bound for different discharge ports; otherwise, it will cause difficulty in unloading at intermediate ports.